Camera Hardware

Camera

A digital single-lens reflex camera (also called a digital SLR or DSLR) is a digital camera that combines the optics and the mechanisms of a single-lens reflex camera with a digital imaging sensor, as opposed to photographic film

SLR cameras allow expert photographers to change lenses and choose the right lens for the given shooting situation. DSLR refers to SLR cameras that take digital photos and the few cameras left on the market still using film are simply called SLR cameras.DSLR cameras are great for budding photographers because they offer live previews and do not waste film when photographers make mistakes. There are more DSLRs available in the market so they tend to be cheaper. Film SLR cameras, on the other hand, offer slightly better quality of color, tone and contrast.

Lens

All DSLR systems offer a dizzying selection of lenses for their cameras. These range from fisheyes that give a 180° field of view, to telephoto lenses up to 800mm or more. You’ve got zooms, primes, macro, super telephoto, and of course, tilt-shift lenses as well.

In my time as a photographer I’ve often had friends, students, or casual acquaintances ask me “What lens should I get?” There is no one right answer to this question, and it can lead to more confusion unless I ask a few questions myself.First off, and easiest to figure out is, “What do you want to shoot?” It could be sports, wildlife, birds, landscapes, architecture, portraits, or any number of other subjects. Next is to find out what their budget is. The cost of the lens depends on several things. Less expensive lenses will generally have variable apertures, meaning as you zoom, the maximum aperture gets smaller. More expensive lenses have a fixed aperture. The good news is that all major camera and lens manufacturers offer a variety of focal lengths to satisfy most budgets.After those two questions are answered it becomes more difficult. I try to lead them to their choice, rather than just tell them “Get this lens.” So let’s take a look at different types of lenses and how they can be used.

We’ll start with the wide angles. In my early days as a photographer, I NEVER used wide angle lenses. I started my career as a sports photographer and rarely used anything shorter than a 70-200, often going for 400mm f2.8 or 600mm f/4 lenses. As I began shooting landscapes as more of a hobby, I began to discover the magic of wide angles. Wide angles give a wide expansive view, and when used correctly, can wrap you in the scene. My favorite lenses for landscape work tend to be in the ranges from 14mm f/2.8, 16-35 f/2.8, and 24mm f/1.4.Wide angles should be used when prominent foreground objects are present. The primary mistake made by new photographers is to use wide angles incorrectly- by not being close enough, having no interest in the foreground, or by trying to include too much in the scene. Wide angles are also handy in tight areas, like small rooms, cars, caves, etc. They can give volume to the small area. Wide angles have the potential to drastically change your photography.

Standard lenses tend to range from about 35mm up to around 85mm. Lenses in the standard zoom range will cover moderate wide angles- typically 24mm to 35mm, to moderate telephoto lengths- around 70mm and up to about 105mm. Standard zoom lenses are great “walk around” lenses. They are versatile, allowing both for wide angle work such as a landscape, or zooming in to the telephoto end of the lens to take a great portrait.Standard zooms are generally included in many SLR kits that come with lenses. 18-55mm, 18-135mm, 24-105mm, 24-70mm, and others are popular standard zooms. However, there are also standard prime lenses. Prime lenses are lenses that are just one focal length. Back in the good ol’ days of film, the most popular standard lens was a 50mm. When I was a student, everyone in the class started with a 50mm lens. Whether you choose a zoom or a prime is up to you. Most people tend to feel that zooms offer more bang for the buck these days, while a prime forces you to think more about composition and point of view, simply because it can’t zoom.

More often than not, when I speak to neophyte photographers looking to purchase their next lens, they are looking for something on the telephoto end. The most popular seems to be various flavors of 70-300mm or 70-200mm. These lenses are excellent when used properly. However, too often, telephoto zooms allow the photographer to become lazy.“If your pictures aren’t good enough, you’re not close enough,” said famed war photographer Robert Capa. Telephoto zooms allow one to stand back a little when the subject isn’t quite as approachable, or when your subject might be feeling overwhelmed by the presence of the camera. This makes telephoto zooms extremely useful for portraiture, but keep in mind Capa’s words, as it is easy to get lazy and let the lens do the work for you.

Telephoto lenses compress distance, making everything appear closer, as opposed to wide angles which distort perspective and make things look further away. This can be useful for landscapes when you want the sun or moon to appear large in comparison to other objects in the image. In this shot of Shenandoah Valley at sunset, the telephoto lens compresses the distance, making the layers of mountains and mist look almost flat.Of course, telephoto lenses are also excellent for sports, nature, and wildlife, where it can be difficult to get close. Sports, however, presents its own set of challenges. To be able to stop action without blurring, you need to use a fast shutter speed. Typically, faster telephoto lenses are required. Faster telephoto lenses have larger maximum apertures.A “fast” lens is usually one that has an aperture of f/4, f/2.8 or larger. If sports is one of your primary subjects, a telephoto zoom such as a 70-200 f/2.8 is an excellent choice. If you really want to shoot like the pros, you’ll want a 300mm f/4, or 300mm f/2.8 or 400mm f/2.8. These lenses are great for getting you closer to the action, but you need to be sure your shutter speed is fast enough. Too slow a shutter speed will result in motion blur. Typically, AT LEAST 1/500 to 1/1000 shutter speed is the minimum. Using these longer lenses can be challenging to track movement, so it becomes much easier if the subject is coming directly at you, rather than trying to track movement parallel to the camera.Beyond the usual types of lenses, there are a variety of specialty lenses available. Like shooting tiny things? Try a macro lens. Architecture? A tilt-shift or perspective correction lens might be your choice. There is a lens for every purpose, it’s just a matter of putting it to good use. As always, remember that a lens is just another tool on the camera; it’s up to the photographer to make it work.

Aperature

ISO

Your camera’s ISO determines how sensitive it is to light.

Lower numbers, such as ISO 100 or 200, mean your camera is less sensitive, and are used in bright situations, such as outdoors on a sunny day.

Higher numbers, such as ISO 800 or 1600, make your camera more sensitive to light, and are used when there is less available light, such as outdoors on a cloudy day, or indoors when you can’t use flash.

Shutter Speed

Basic Modes

Your camera will have a few basic modes, where the camera takes control of everything, and all you have to do is push the shutter button to take the picture. These modes can be a good place to start if you’re unsure of how to get a specific type of picture. Keep in mind that when using these modes, the camera is controlling everything, including: color, contrast, white balance, shutter speed, aperture, and ISO. The most common of the basic modes are:

Auto Modes

Depending on your camera’s brand, this will be indicated in one of several different ways. Sony uses a green camera icon, Canon uses a green box, and Nikon uses a camera with the word Auto above it. What you need to know about this mode, is that the camera is making all exposure decisions for you. If the camera is a recent release, it may also be using a type of Intelligent Auto mode, where it analyzes the scene you are taking a picture of to determine the best settings. The flash may pop up if needed. The camera will set an appropriate aperture, ISO, and shutter speed to allow you to hold the camera and get a good exposure.

Portrait Mode

Portrait Mode is usually indicated by a head icon of some kind. When this mode is selected, the camera optimizes your settings for taking pictures of people. It will select color settings, choose a fairly shallow depth of field, and a fairly fast shutter speed, to ensure that your subject is not blurry. The camera may decide that flash is necessary, and fire if it is needed for exposure.

Things to consider when taking portraitshttps://digital-photography-school.com/10-crucial-things-need-think-portrait-photography/

Landscape Mode

https://digital-photography-school.com/7-landscape-photography-mistakes-to-avoid/This mode is generally indicated by an icon containing mountains. When you select Landscape Mode, you are telling the camera you’re shooting scenery. The camera will record vivid colors, and set a small aperture for maximum depth of field. You may also need a tripod, as the shutter speed may be too slow to handhold the camera without blurring the image. The flash will not pop up in this mode.

Ten mistakes you could be making taking landscape photos

Sports Mode

An icon of a running man indicates Sports Mode (Action). This setting is best for capturing subjects that are moving, such as children playing, a sporting event or water running. The camera uses a faster shutter speed to freeze the motion of the subjects, and will use a wider aperture for shallower depth of field. The ISO may be raised to accommodate the faster shutter speed, and the flash will not fire.

Night Portrait

That picture of the person with a star or moon behind them? That’s night portrait mode. This mode is used to capture pictures of people at night, usually firing the camera’s flash to illuminate them. However, the camera will also use a slightly slower shutter speed, and a higher ISO, to allow any ambient light to record in the image as well. Think of it this way – if you want to take a picture of someone at night in front of a neon sign, and you want the glow of the neon to show up in the image, this is the mode to use.

Close Up Mode

Almost invariably, an icon featuring a flower indicates Close-up Mode. Many people incorrectly call this Macro Mode. I say incorrectly, because macro generally means you are recording the objects you are photographing at life size, or larger. Close-up mode is used when you are photographing an object very close to the camera. Each manufacturer uses this mode a bit differently. While Nikon states that the camera will use a small aperture to maximize depth of field, Canon states that it will use a wide aperture to blur the background. The camera will also attempt to focus on the nearest subject to the camera. In each case a tripod may be necessary to work with a slower shutter speed.

Advanced Modes

Program Mode

Contrary to popular belief, the “P” on the mode dial does not stand for “Perfect”. It stands for Program, and is Auto Mode’s big brother. Program mode is a good general use option. The camera will select the ISO, aperture, and shutter speed for you. Sounds like Auto Mode, right? It’s similar, but in Program mode, you have the ability to choose the white balance you want, the picture style you want, and you have the ability to shift the exposure, so if the camera selects a shutter speed or aperture you don’t want, you can shift that setting, and the camera will adjust the others accordingly.

Aperture Priority

On Canon or Pentax cameras, this mode is indicated by an Av on the dial, while other manufacturers simply use an A. This mode is exactly what it says – you choose the aperture setting you want, usually deciding on such a setting to achieve a specific depth of field, the camera will then set the appropriate shutter speed to achieve proper exposure. You will also be responsible for choosing an ISO setting. Many cameras now feature an AUTO ISO setting, which lets the camera choose the ISO, if you’d rather not be bothered with selecting it yourself.

Aperture priority is best used when you know you want a specific depth of field for your image. For instance, if you’re shooting a landscape or grand vista, you’ll likely want the entire scene in focus, so you’ll want to choose a smaller aperture, such as f/16, to achieve that. The camera will then set the appropriate shutter speed for proper exposure. You’ll need to be aware of the shutter speed the camera selects, as you may need a tripod to keep the camera still if a slower shutter speed is necessary.

Shutter Priority Mode

The S on your mode dial (Tv if you have Canon or Pentax) stands for Shutter Priority mode. The Tv stands for Time Value, or the length of time the shutter remains open for exposure. This mode is the opposite of Aperture Priority. You’ll choose the shutter speed, and the camera will set the appropriate aperture, to give you the proper exposure. Remember, you’ll also need to set the ISO to ensure your exposure is correct, or set AUTO ISO so the camera can do it for you.

Shutter priority is useful when you know you want to use a certain shutter speed to capture motion in a specific way. For instance, if you are photographing sports, you know you want a faster shutter speed to freeze the action. You’ll likely set a shutter speed of 1/500th (or faster) to ensure you’re doing that, and let the camera set the aperture for the appropriate exposure. For more information on both Aperture Priority and Shutter Priority modes, see Getting off Auto – Manual, Aperture and Shutter Priority modes explained.

Manual Mode

Universally indicated by an M on your mode dial, in Manual Mode you are truly flying solo. You are responsible for setting your aperture, shutter speed, and the ISO, to achieve the proper exposure. This gives you the ultimate freedom in creating images, as all camera settings are available for you to set, and change as you see fit. You’ll want to keep an eye on your camera’s meter to be sure you aren’t over or underexposing the image. How to Learn Your Camera’s Light Meter and Master Manual Mode is a great primer if you’re ready to take the plunge and learn to shoot manually.

It can be really easy to understand your camera and how the settings in the exposure triangle work the way they do. This explanation is the way I personally think of my camera as an eye:

The sensor in your camera is the brain. It receives data and information.

ISO is how sensitive the ‘eye’ is to the light. The higher the number, the more sensitive the eye.

Aperture is like the pupil. The wider it is (the lower the f/stop number), the more light is allowed into the eye. Over exposure is like when you’re inside where your pupils are more dilated to compensate for lower light. When you step outside, everything it too bright and your pupils have to get smaller to compensate for so much light. Then when you go back in, everything is too dark (under exposed) because your eye’s aperture needs a moment to open up and let in the light.

Shutter speed is like blinking. The faster it blinks, the less light is allowed in and vice versa.

Various Camera Modes and their uses2.Flash Modes3.ISO settings4.White Balance5.Drive Modes6.Lens Focal Length7.Exposure Compensation8.Focusing Options9.Depth of Field (Depth of Focus)

2. READ AND WRITE : LENSESRead this article about lenses and on your blog list 20 important facts you learned about camera lenses.http://digital-photography-school.com/choosing-lenses-when-to-use-which-lens-and-why/3. ALTERNATIVE CAMERA ANGLES-Take 4 shots of the same subject from 4 different camera angles (from above, below, strait on and tilted)-Post 4 edited photos showing different camera angles of the same subject (from above, below, strait on and tilted)-Include technical Info with each photo: f-stop, Shutter Speed, ISO, Mode-Find a photo from the Internet showing an alternative camera angle-Write a 20 sentence writing critique about the Internet photo.

First assignments for 2016-2017 school year:1. Make a blogsite with edublogs. https://edublogs.org/ Join the class blog, select a template, and design your site layout and design.2. Read the following link and write 25 sentences reviewing what you learned about aperture, shutter speed, ISO, and camera modes. As your first blogpost, copy and paste in your sentences from a word document.http://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tutorials/camera-exposure.htm3. Play around with the camera simulator and learn how to use the camera controls. Then practice with the camera in the classroom.http://camerasim.com/apps/camera-simulator/______________________________________________________________

2. Body, Shape FormPhotograph a part of the body, or something, which shows shape and form. Think about getting great QUALITY OF LIGHT and make your composition a strong one. In the caption section of your image write 10 words to describe your final image.

3 WHAT IS YOUR COLOR

Create a Photoshop Collage 12×9 or 9×12 300 resolution representing your favorite color. Include your self portrait, the color you select and some writing about why this is YOUR color. Post to blog.